It's Raining Laughter

Grimes, Nikki. 1997. IT’S RAINING LAUGHTER. Photo. by Myles C. Pinkney. Honesdale, PA: Boyd Mills Press, Inc.
ISBN 1590780779

*Plot Summary

In a collection of twelve poems, Nikki Grimes has created a book full of simple, childlike poems which also includes many colorful photographs of children by Myles C. Pinkney. The poems focus on everyday emotions and experiences like getting the giggles, going to the library, and dealing with physical appearances. They differ in length and style, but all of them possess qualities seemly inspired by childhood.

*Critical Analysis

Grimes’s creation of a strong, clear voice is evident throughout the collection of poetry in IT’S RAINING LAUGHTER. Despite the title, not all of the poems are necessarily humorous, but each has a sense of playfulness which makes the collection appealing to readers. For example, in “Friends Again” friends realize their disagreement was “stupid” and “laughed for no good reason, / needing none.” The strong voice shines through as the poet uses phrases and words that youngsters would actually say. This easy, conversational voice is evident in “Sideways Beauty” as the speaker remarks, “Mama says I’m wiry. / Aunt Mae says I’m a stick.” Similarly, the personas in each of the poems does not follow one particular person; however, all the poetry is connected by the idea that the speakers are youngsters.

Along with the young speakers, the tone of the poems strikes a balance for handling subjects like physical appearance without being too serious or too flippant. Again, “Sideways Beauty” is a great example. The last three lines read, “Good thing I got a rear. / That way when I turn sideways, / I don’t disappear.” Two other poems, “Four Eyes” and “Wallet Size” address issues like wearing glasses and being overweight.

Common emotions and experiences reflected in the collection create a feeling of timelessness. Another poem based on a common experience is “Remember” in which the speaker recalls a time a loved one came and watched a nerve-wracking public speaking performance. The poem is written as one long sentence ending with “’cause you were there / smiling from the front row / to let me know / that I was doing / just fine.” The idea of a reassuring fan during a public performance touches on a universal theme.

Grimes also uses poetic elements like rhyme, metaphor, and alliteration in her simple and inspiring poems. One example of alliteration in “Remember” depicts the speaker who “stood on stage at the Countee Cullen Library.” Imagery is particularly well-used in “Friends Again” as the reunited friends forget about their squabble as they “squinted at the sun.” Although the poet effectively uses many poetic elements, the appeal of the poems is conveyed most soundly through the strong voice and persona these elements help to communicate. Surely, the appeal to readers will be present in the common feelings and experiences that are subjects for Grimes’s poems.

Finally, the book is largely defined by numerous, colorful photographs taken by Myles C. Pinkney. The collection of poetry would be quite different without these pictures. The photos feature a group of African-American youngsters laughing, playing, talking, pondering, and posing. The layout of the pictures and text lends itself to looking at both simultaneously. Pinkney does an excellent job capturing the feelings and situations Grimes depicts in her poems. They are matched well together to create an emotional response from readers.

*Personal Response

The first time I browsed through this collection, I was immediately drawn to the personas created by Nikki Grimes and the kids depicted in the photos. Experiences in my life could be easily related to the ones in the poems. Until I read the poetry a few more times, I wasn’t aware of just how simple the poems are. The kids in the pictures appear so natural that I felt like I knew them from somewhere. I look forward to sharing this book with others and seeing what some of my students think of the book.

*Review Excerpts

“A harmonious blend of words and pictures.”
School Library Journal

“In this book, Pinkney’s photographs of African American children provided the inspiration for Grimes’ verse, which is written in the first person as though the children are speaking.”
BookList

*Connections

-Introduce a theme of study (family, memories, friends) using one of the poems.
-Write poetry based on personal experiences and add personal photos to create a story board or book.
-Use one of the poems to begin a discussion about feelings. (This book might make a good addition to a counselor’s office library.)
-Read “Remember” and use the poem as a story starter to write a personal narrative about a pleasant memory.
-Read “Where’d You Get Them Names?” and conduct some research to find out about the origins of students’ names in the class.